Free A Zombie Christmas Carol by Michael G. Thomas; Charles Dickens Page B

curved swords.
     A strange group of foreign looking men in red cloth and carrying a metal case were trying to make their way discreetly to a side door.  They had come from outside the Bank and looked like no men he had ever seen before or since in England. The undead ignored them as though they were one of their own, though they were unmistakably different in both clothing and movement, as well as the fact that they were alive.  They had a look that reminded him of the tale he had heard of the Thuggee in India but he had never met one in person.  One of the soldiers managed to make his way to them and was instantly attacked with a savage looking curved sword.  The soldier succeeded in defending himself with his own sword, only to be attacked from behind by a small group of the undead.  As they dragged him to the ground, the group in red continued towards the doors at the back of the Bank.
    Scrooge covered his face as the scenes of horror around him filled him with dread.
    “Who are they, I don’t remember them?” asked Scrooge.
    “Well, you were somewhat preoccupied,” said the Spirit with a smile, as it pointed to Marley and Scrooge who were fighting their way out to the soldiers.
    “They were trying to take the artefact below the Bank.  If it were not for what happened next you would have suffered the same fate as those outside,” said the Spirit.
    Though the two men were hardly young soldiers they gave a surprisingly vigorous defence, each of them being responsible for toppling four or five of the creatures.  The group of four men in red approached Marley and Scrooge, looking to move past them and into the bowels of the building.  One struck Marley with his fist, knocking the old man to the ground whilst the others pushed past.  Scrooge swung his cane and smashed the man in the temple, sending him to the ground making the other three lose control of whatever they seemed to be carrying.  As the artefact fell, it struck the ground, chunks of old metal tumbling from its insides.  A volley of musketry struck two of the men leaving just one wounded and another still fighting Scrooge.  As the soldiers overpowered the undead and reached the centre of the room, they formed a defensive position around the artefact, keeping the remaining men in red away from it.  By some miracle, none of the undead attacked those who were in close proximity of the artefact or its remains and the soldiers were able to carry it safely from the Bank and towards the doors whilst more soldiers rushed in.  With the tide turning, Marley and Scrooge both made for the door, looking to get as far away from building as possible.
    As Scrooge reached the safety of the door he could be seen turning back looking for Marley, who was wrestling with a man over a chest or crate of some kind.  As Scrooge looked closer, it seemed the item was a strongbox, probably one looted from the Bank.
    Scrooge shouted in vain to Marley who could hear nothing from his future self.
    “Marley, stay with the artefact you fool!” he cried, as his memories of the event appeared fresh.
    It was pointless though, and one of the zombies broke from the crowd and struck Marley and as they tried to escape, the entire group disappeared in a swirling melee of ruffians, soldiers and the drooling walking dead, who now seemed interested in just attacking or killing anybody around them.
    “Greed and selfish desires brought down Marley.  He could have left with you but instead he stayed behind to safeguard more money, money that was not even his to guard.  Your fate is still tied to him Mr. Scrooge, are you any different?” it said.
    Scrooge turned away from the scene, clearly knowing what had happened to Marley.  In his heart, he knew that he would have grabbed the strongbox as well had he noticed it before he reached the door.  It was simple chance that had saved him on that day. His avarice could have brought him down as easily as Marley.  This simple fact shook him